Packaging seal bar and method of forming a package using the same

Abstract

A sealing plate for use with a packaging machine that integrates a seal formed indicia into a portion of a package seal. A package having a seal formed indicia integrated into the package seal, which when the package is opened undergoes undergo a visual transformation, and a method of making the same.

I claim: 
     
       1. A sealed package, comprising:
 one or more packaging components defining a storage cavity for receiving one or more items to be packaged; 
 a seal arrangement for sealing the storage cavity, wherein the seal arrangement includes facing first and second seal surfaces defined by the one or more packaging components that are bonded together at a first seal line and a second seal line that is spaced apart from the first seal line to inhibit access to the storage cavity, wherein the first and second seal lines can be separated to form an opening that provides access to the storage cavity; and 
 a seal formed indicia defined by the one or more packaging components disposed in an unsealed area disposed between the first seal line and the second seal line of the seal arrangement, wherein the seal formed indicia has a first visual appearance and is discernible within the unsealed area when the seal arrangement is intact, and is configured to undergo visual transformation to provide a second visual appearance different from the first visual appearance when the seal arrangement is broken to form the opening, wherein the seal formed indicia is discernible within the unsealed area both when the seal formed indicia has the first visual appearance and the second visual appearance, and wherein the second visual appearance of the seal formed indicia provides a visual indication that the seal arrangement has been broken. 
 
     
     
       2. The sealed package of  claim 1 , wherein the sealed package is a thermoformed package. 
     
     
       3. The sealed package of  claim 2 , wherein an atmosphere of the storage cavity comprises a pressure less than standard atmospheric pressure when the seal arrangement is in a bonded configuration. 
     
     
       4. The sealed package of  claim 2 , wherein an atmosphere of the storage cavity comprises an oxygen content less than that of the oxygen content of standard atmosphere. 
     
     
       5. The sealed package of  claim 2 , wherein an atmosphere of the storage cavity comprises a nitrogen content higher than that of the nitrogen content of standard atmosphere. 
     
     
       6. The seal arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the first seal line defines an inner seal line adjacent the storage cavity and the second seal line defines an outer seal line positioned outwardly from the inner seal line. 
     
     
       7. The seal arrangement of  claim 6 , wherein the seal formed indicia is spaced apart from the inner seal line and the outer seal line. 
     
     
       8. The sealed package of  claim 6 , wherein the inner seal line defines an outer perimeter of the storage cavity. 
     
     
       9. The sealed package of  claim 8 , wherein the inner seal line comprises:
 a top edge having a first end and a second end; 
 a first side edge having a first end and a second, wherein the first end of the first side edge generally perpendicularly intersects the second end of the top edge defining a first corner of the inner seal line; 
 a bottom edge having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the bottom edge generally perpendicularly intersects the second end of the first side edge defining a second corner of the inner seal line; and, 
 a second side edge having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the second side edge generally perpendicularly intersects the second end of the bottom edge defining a third corner of the inner seal line, and the second end of the second side edge generally perpendicularly intersects the first end of the top edge defining a fourth corner of the inner seal line. 
 
     
     
       10. The sealed package of  claim 9 , wherein the outer seal line extends about the top edge and first side edge of the inner seal line. 
     
     
       11. The sealed package of  claim 10 , wherein the outer seal line comprises:
 a top edge of the outer seal line having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the top edge of the outer seal line extends to the first corner of the inner seal line and the second end of the top edge of the outer seal line extends to the fourth corner of the inner seal line; and, 
 a first side edge of the outer seal line having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the first side edge of the outer seal line extends to the second corner of the inner seal line and the second end of the first side edge of the outer seal line extends to the first corner of the inner seal line. 
 
     
     
       12. The sealed package of  claim 11 , wherein the seal arrangement further comprises a tapered seal projection extending outwardly from the top outer seal line. 
     
     
       13. The sealed package of  claim 11 , further comprising a seal extension area extending generally from a midline of the first side edge of the outer seal line to a midline of the first side edge of the inner seal line, wherein an aperture is disposed within the seal extension area. 
     
     
       14. The sealed package of  claim 1 , wherein the first visual appearance of the seal formed indicia is generally translucent. 
     
     
       15. The sealed package of  claim 14 , wherein the second visual appearance of the seal formed indicia is opaque. 
     
     
       16. The sealed package of  claim 1 , wherein the seal formed indicia comprises one or more alphanumeric characters. 
     
     
       17. The sealed package of  claim 16 , wherein the seal formed indicia is a tamper-evident indicator. 
     
     
       18. A sealed thermoformed package, comprising:
 one or more packaging components defining a storage cavity for receiving one or more items to be packaged with an oxygen content less than that the oxygen content of standard atmosphere; 
 a seal arrangement for sealing the storage cavity, wherein the seal arrangement includes facing first and second seal surfaces defined by the one or more packaging components that are bonded together at an inner seal line and an outer seal line that is spaced apart from the inner seal line to inhibit access to the storage cavity and that can be separated to form an opening that provides access to the storage cavity; 
 wherein the inner seal line of the seal arrangement comprises a top edge, bottom edge, first side edge and second side edge in a generally rectangular configuration defining a first corner, a second corner, a third corner and a fourth corner; 
 wherein the outer seal line of the seal arrangement comprises a top edge and a first side edge; and 
 a seal formed indicia defined by the one or more packaging components disposed in an unsealed area disposed between the top edge of the inner seal line and the top edge of the outer seal line of the seal arrangement, wherein the seal formed indicia has a first visual appearance and is discernible within the unsealed area when the seal arrangement is intact, and is configured to undergo visual transformation to provide a second visual appearance different from the first visual appearance when the seal arrangement is broken to form the opening, wherein the seal formed indicia is discernible within the unsealed area both when the seal formed indicia has the first visual appearance and the second visual appearance, and wherein the second visual appearance of the seal formed indicia provides a visual indication that the seal arrangement has been broken. 
 
     
     
       19. A sealed thermoformed package, comprising:
 one or more packaging components defining a storage cavity for receiving one or more items to be packaged; 
 a seal arrangement for sealing the storage cavity, wherein the seal arrangement includes facing first and second seal surfaces defined by the one or more packaging components that are bonded together at an inner seal line and an outer seal line that is spaced apart from the inner seal line to inhibit access to the storage cavity and that can be separated to form an opening that provides access to the storage cavity; 
 wherein the inner seal line of the seal arrangement comprises a top edge, bottom edge, first side edge and second side edge in a generally rectangular configuration defining a first corner, a second corner, a third corner and a fourth corner; 
 wherein the outer seal line of the seal arrangement comprises a top edge, a first side edge, and at least one tapered seal projection extending outwardly from the outer seal line; 
 a seal formed indicia defined by the one or more packaging components disposed in an unsealed area disposed between the top edge of the inner seal line and the top edge of the outer seal line of the seal arrangement, wherein the seal formed indicia has a first visual appearance and is discernible within the unsealed area when the seal arrangement is intact, and is configured to undergo visual transformation to provide a second visual appearance different from the first visual appearance when the seal arrangement is broken to form the opening, wherein the seal formed indicia is discernible within the unsealed area both when the seal formed indicia has the first visual appearance and the second visual appearance, and wherein the second visual appearance of the seal formed indicia provides a visual indication that the seal arrangement has been broken; and, 
 a seal extension area extending generally from a midline of the first side edge of the outer seal line to a midline of the first side edge of the inner seal line, wherein an aperture is disposed within the seal extension area.